Automatic switch.



No. 841,286. PATENTED JAN. '15, 1907.

" A. UNDERDAHL.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31. 1906.

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ANDREW UNDERDAHL, OF HOFFMAN, MINNESOTA.A

i AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 15, 1907.

Application filed August 31,1906. Serial No. 332,844.

To @ZZ whom, it 77pm/ con/cern.'

Beit known that I, ANDREW UNDERDAHL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hoffman, in the county of Grant and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an automatic switch, and more particularly one for street-railways.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel form of switch-piece, together with means for operating the same from a moving car.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a track, showing the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 10 denotes the rails of the main track, and 11 those of the branch or siding. The movable switch-piece is a cylinder 12, having in its periphery alternately-arranged straight grooves 13 and diagonal grooves 14, adapted, respectively, to be brought into alinement with the rails of the main track and the branch, according to whichever track the car is to take. The periphery of the cylinder is iush with the tread of the rails, and the grooves 13 and 14 receive the flanges of the car-wheels. At its ends the cylinder is provided with trunnions 15, whereby it is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 16 in a pit 17 in the road-bed. The pit will be provided with a removable cover 18 in order that access may be had to the cylinder and its actuating means. A drain 19 is also provided.

On one of the trunnions 15 isfastened a worm-wheel 20, which is driven by a worm 21 on a shaft 22, supported in suitable bearings 23 inside the pit. On the shaft 22 is a ratchet-wheel 24, which is rotated by pawls 25 and 26, respectively. Springs 27 are provided for holding the'pawls to the ratchetwheel. The pawl 25 is connected to the lower end of a lever 28, pivoted at 29 inside the pit. The upper end of the lever extends a short distance above the road-bed in a position to be struck by a device carried on the car, which will be hereinafter described. The pawl 26 is connected to a lever 30, which is also positioned so as to be struck by the device onthe car. The levers 28 and 30 are located on opposite sides of the switch-piece at a suitable distance therefrom. The pawls 25 and 26 engage the ratchet-wheel oppositely,

and the levers 28 and 30 swing in opposite directions, so that the ratchet-wheel will be rotated in one direction when said levers are actuated. Springs 31 are provided for returning the levers to their normal upright position.

The device for actuating the levers 28 and 30 comprises an arm 32, depending from the bottom of the car-platform 33 and extending into the path of said levers. The arm is pivoted at its upper end, as at 34, to'the carplatform, so that it may be raised or lowered, a stem 35 being provided which extends from the arm through the car-platform. A suitable catch is provided for holding the arm elevated, in which position it is inoperative. The levers 28 and 30 are beveled on to as at 36, so that they will be actuated on y by a car approaching the switch. A car having passed the switch will not actuate the next lever, the arm 32 simply sliding over the beveled portion 36 without throwing the lever.

In operation the motorman on the car approachmg the switch will take noteof the position of the grooves in the cylinder. v If the cylinder is set for the main track and the car is to take the branch track, the arm 32 will be lowered, so that it will strike the lever 30. When the lever swings forwardly, the ratchetwheel is rotated one step, which through the worm-gearing rotates the cylinder one step and brings the diagonal groove 14 in alinement with the main track and branch rails, thus enabling the car to pass to the branch track. The gearing is arranged so that one step of the ratchet-wheel moves the cylinder the proper distance to present the required groove. A car approaching the switch from the opposite direction will actuate it in the same manner as heretofore described, the motorman of course first noting the position of the cylinder. The lever 28 will be so positioned with respect to the main track and the branch that it may beactuated by 'a car on either of said tracks. The levers can also be hand-operated by employing a suitable device to catch the same. Any dirt which may collect in the grooves of the cylinder will be deposited in the pit 17, so that the switch will always be in proper condition.

In the drawings a two-way switch is shown but by providing an additional groove the cylinder may be used on a three-way switch.

IOO

In this case it maybe necessary to turn lthe cylinder two steps at a time in order to bring the desired groove into proper position. This can be readily done by providing the car with two arms arranged one behind the other, so that the operating-levers will be struck twice, thus moving the cylinder two steps-` I claiml. In a switch, a movable switch-piece comprising a rotary cylinder having grooves therein for connecting one line of rails with another, and means on opposite sides of the switch for rotating the cylinder.

2. In a switch, a movable switch-piece comprising a rotary cylinder having grooves therein for connecting one line of rails with another, and car-actuated means on oppo- 

